Red Sox closer Craig Kimbrel threw the ball extremely hard last season, but that wasn’t anything new. In seven full Major League seasons, Kimbrel has earned six trips to the All-Star Game by being a flamethrower, and by being one of the top closers in baseball. Rather, it was where Kimbrel threw his fastball lastRead More

Need a warm thought on a cold day? One of the great things about baseball is history almost never repeats itself. You can finish last one season and win a division title the next. That’s happened 13 times since 1969, when Major League Baseball went to divisional play. The Red Sox did it in theRead More

The Hot Stove is open for business. As the top free agents begin to ink new deals and clubs begin to make the moves they think will vault them into contention or put them over the top, MLB.com will have you covered with all the latest buzz right here. • Hot Stove Tracker Marlins wantRead More

ST. LOUIS — Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina appears to be taking exception to recent comments from Cubs catcher Willson Contreras about how he plans to be a better backstop than perennial All-Stars Molina and Buster Posey. “In my mind, I want to be the best catcher in the game for a long time — likeRead More

HOUSTON — The Astros have made a habit of pushing pitchers to the next level — Dallas Keuchel, Collin McHugh and Charlie Morton, for example — and are hoping to do the same with Gerrit Cole. Much of the credit goes to pitching coach Brent Strom, and the team’s forward-thinking analytics department has also provenRead More

The 2017 Yankees relievers were elite, by any metric you care to use. They had the third-lowest ERA (3.34); the lowest average against (.204); the highest strikeout rate (29.1 percent); the most Wins Above Replacement (9.2). They were good. They were so, so good. Now realize they could possibly be better in 2018. Then, thinkRead More

TEMPE, Ariz. — Spring Training is less than a month away, and it’s safe to say that a healthy share of the baseball world will descend upon Tempe Diablo Stadium on Feb. 14 for the unveiling of Shohei Ohtani, a two-way player from Japan who is preparing for his highly anticipated Major League debut inRead More

Zack Cozart had been mentally preparing himself for the possibility of playing second base for the Angels when he received a call from general manager Billy Eppler on Wednesday. Eppler explained that he had an opportunity to acquire second baseman Ian Kinsler from the Tigers, so he wanted to gauge Cozart’s willingness to shift toRead More

ANAHEIM — Angel Stadium is getting a few notable upgrades this offseason. Daktronics, a South Dakota-based electronic scoreboard manufacturer, announced Monday that it will be continuing its partnership with the Angels by installing 14 LED displays amounting to more than 23,000 square feet at Angel Stadium ahead of the 2018 season. The focal point ofRead More

Outfielder Jared Hoying, who signed a Minor League deal with the Angels in November, has been released to pursue an opportunity in Korea, according to multiple reports. Hoying will join the Hanwha Eagles of the Korean Baseball Organization on a one-year contract reportedly worth $700,000, including a $300,000 signing bonus. Hoying, 28, appeared in 74Read More

At his core, Dick Enberg was a baseball man, and he was one of the gold standards for all of broadcast sports. There was an intimacy in his work. To hear that soothing voice felt like you were catching up with an old friend. This is the thing the great ones have. Jack Buck andRead More

ANAHEIM — Within a 48-hour span earlier this month, the Angels revamped their infield by acquiring veteran second baseman Ian Kinsler from the Tigers and signing longtime shortstop Zack Cozart to a three-year, $38 million deal to play third base. While the moves solved two of the Halos’ biggest holes this offseason, one side effectRead More

The Athletics have spun their wheels recently, finishing in last place in the American League West in each of the last three seasons. That’s their longest streak of languishing in the cellar since they did so four straight times from 1940-43. There’s cause for optimism in Oakland, however. No franchise improved its farm system asRead More

As we all prepare to turn the calendar from 2017 and look onward, we at MLB Pipeline are starting to wrap our head around who might be on our 2018 Top 100 Prospects list, due out in late January. We’re also working to figure out our team top 30 lists. As that effort continues, thereRead More

Will they go after a closer or bullpen arm? – Anthony Madrigal Jr. (@tribaltony82) December 18, 2017 I don’t expect the Angels to go after elite closers such as Greg Holland and Wade Davis this offseason, but a lower-tier reliever could be a possibility. General manager Billy Eppler and his staff have shown a penchantRead More

ANAHEIM — The Angels fell short of their playoff goals after going 80-82 and finishing second in the American League West in 2017, but the year was still filled with plenty of highlights worth remembering. Here’s a look back at the Angels’ top five moments from 2017: 1. Albert Pujols‘ 600th homer Pujols joined oneRead More

ANAHEIM — After a series of notable offseason additions, the Angels figure to be one of the most fascinating teams to watch in 2018. General manager Billy Eppler and his staff stunned many by winning the Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes last month, and they continued to make more roster improvements by trading for veteran second basemanRead More

With the start of Spring Training drawing closer, anticipation is building for the 2018 season. Pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report to Tempe, Ariz., by Feb.13, so it’s time to break down the Angels’ roster. This is the first installment of a multi-part Around the Horn series taking a position-by-position look at the projectedRead More